Fire service recovers corpse of 12-year-old girl from domestic well in Kwara

Tragedy in Ilorin: Fire Service Recovers Body of 12-Year-Old Girl from Domestic Well

In a deeply saddening incident that has left the Ikoyi community of Ilorin West Local Government Area in mourning, the Kwara State Fire Service on Saturday, November 15, 2025, recovered the lifeless body of a 12-year-old girl named Nabilat from a domestic well.

The tragedy occurred on Busari Alao Street, where the young girl reportedly slipped and fell into the well while attempting to fetch water.

According to the official statement released by the Head of Media and Publicity of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, the distress call was received at approximately 10:35 a.m. from a resident of the neighborhood, Mr. Mayowa.

The fire service promptly responded to the emergency and deployed a rescue team to the scene. Despite their swift arrival and efforts, the girl was recovered dead from the well. Her body was subsequently handed over to a member of her family.

Eyewitness accounts and preliminary reports suggest that Nabilat had gone to the well for a routine water-fetching task when she suddenly lost her footing. One of her legs reportedly slipped, causing her to tumble into the well. The depth and structure of the well, combined with the absence of immediate rescue, contributed to the fatal outcome.

Prince Falade John Olumuyiwa, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, expressed profound sorrow over the incident. He used the occasion to urge residents to exercise greater caution in their daily activities, especially when dealing with potentially hazardous domestic infrastructure like open wells. He emphasized the importance of securing such wells and ensuring that children are supervised when near them.

The tragic death of young Nabilat has sparked conversations within the community about the safety of domestic water sources and the need for preventive measures.

Residents have called for increased awareness and possibly regulatory action to mandate the covering and fencing of wells to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

This incident serves as a grim reminder of the dangers posed by uncovered domestic wells, particularly in residential areas where children are often tasked with household chores involving water collection.

The Kwara State Fire Service has reiterated its commitment to responding swiftly to emergencies and has encouraged the public to report unsafe conditions that could lead to accidents.